Joe Guido
Foro Marble Company
Midtown Manhattan
SBDC

Joe Guido's company manufactures custom marble and granite countertops, mantels, floors, and vanity tops in a Brooklyn facility. After the terrorist attacks of 2001, Foro Marble was forced to close its Manhattan showroom and downsize its staff of 22 employees.

Mr. Guido, a veteran of the U.S. Army in Europe had faced many difficulties, none so wrenching as the business bankruptcy that loomed in late 2001. He sought assistance from the Midtown Manhattan SBDC at Baruch College in documenting his economic injury and assembling a loan package to relieve the company's severe financial distress. The SBDC Counselors worked closely with him to complete his cash flow statements, sales projections, profit and loss statements, and his business plan. In addition, the SBDC Counselors worked with him on marketing strategies and ways to obtain additional business. As a result of the assistance, Mr. Guido received an SBA disaster loan and a loan from the World Trade Center Small Business Recovery Loan Fund.

Mr. Guido received a Phoenix award from the Small Business Administration in Washington, DC in May 2002. His story was featured in an SBA video about disaster assistance.

New York Small
Business Development Center
State University of New York
10 North Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12246
In NY State 800-732-SBDC
Outside NY State 518-944-2840

Partnership Program with the SBA, administered
by the State University of New York. Funded in
part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business
Administration. All opinions,conclusions or recommendations expressed are
those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All
SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.